Stormy Christmas in Visayas, Mindanao possible due to incoming cyclone

The tropical depression more than a thousand kilometers east of Mindanao may enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on Friday and may hit land, a PAGASA weather forecaster said Sunday afternoon.

PAGASA's Aldzcar Aurelio said that as of 2 p.m., the tropical depression was estimated at 1,950 kilometers east of Mindanao.

Aurelio said the cyclone may intensify further as it travels over sea, before making landfall somewhere in Visayas or Mindanao islands.

"Inaasahan na lalakas ito kasi malayo pa lang at dadaan [sa dagat]. Bago tatama sa lupa makakaipon ng lakas at asahan na lalakas ang bagyo," the weather forecaster said in a press briefing.

He said cyclones that hit the country during December usually hits Mindanao or Visayas.

He said the tropical cyclone, which will be named Vinta once it enters the PAR, will probably have the same track as Urduja.

Urduja slammed into Eastern Samar on Saturday afternoon as a tropical storm. It weakened into a tropical depression after crossing Samar province and before hitting Masbate.

As of 4 p.m., Urduja's center was estimated at 65 kilometers south of Romblon, Romblon and is expected to slam into Aklan province. —ALG, GMA News